"How is it that my father has come to be here? And how could he possibly have known where to find me?"

Loki swallowed hard, his Adam's apple visibly bobbing in his throat.
That was a very good question, one that he himself was yet to find an adequate answer to.
That half-wit Gaston had been next to useless when it came to providing useful information.

"We need not concern ourselves with the trifling details at present."
He managed, forcing a tight smile.
"However, I must insist on you remaining here until I've spoken with your father in private."

Belle stared at Loki, her neat features crumpling into a confused frown.
"But why? You can trust me with your secret, I promise I won't betray you to him."

Loki's smile melted away and she saw his shoulders immediately tense.
"It is not that simple. He has come seeking answers and he will demand an explanation."

"So, I will explain."
She said, with a gentle smile that would make a lesser-man waver. But Loki was made of much stronger stuff.
"I'll make sure no blame is placed on you. I was the one who wanted to leave, and now I have the opportunity to explain everything. You helped me when I was desperate, I begged you for assistance, he must know that I left of my own free will-"

Her words dissolved as Loki snorted rudely, interrupting her before she had time to finish.
"He will not believe any of that. And besides, what if he should demand you return? What then? Have you forgotten about your betrothal?"

"Of course I haven't, but this is my chance to be bold and tell him how strongly I oppose my engagement to Gaston. He can't force me to return with him, or to marry."

"That won't keep him from trying."
Loki said leadenly, his expression gravely serious.
"He is family after all, he will try to coerce you, and use sentiment. Emotional blackmail can be a powerful weapon when wielded correctly. And you have your duties to your kingdom, he's bound to remind you of that."

"No."
Belle moved towards the object of her affections hastily, and placed her hands on his shoulders.
She was desperate to make him understand.
Desperate to make him see that her love for him was greater, and extended far beyond, all family ties or Royal duty.
"You have to trust me Loki. He won't persuade me to go back. I won't leave you. I promised I would come with you forever. I won't break that promise. I intend to keep my word."

Loki deliberately avoided meeting her eyes and instead gazed straight ahead, staring blankly with unseeing eyes. He was blinded by a rising panic which was completely out of character for him. Everything was spiralling out of control, he felt like he was falling at a rapid rate head-first into the unknown, and was powerless to stop it.
Much like the time he had plunged from the bifrost into the depths of the endless abyss below.

"Your word."
He echoed, his voice surly.
"Is that what holds you to me? Nothing more than a promise you made under duress when you were desperate and not thinking clearly."

"No it isn't just that, of course it isn't....I love you!"

Brusquely Loki pulled away, freeing himself of her dainty hands. Everything was wrong, yet still felt painfully right. He was being unreasonable with her and he knew it, which made him feel even more wretched.  He was an enormous hypocrite, he knew that also. Amongst other things, such as a liar, a manipulator and a coward.

"If you love me, then you will obey me by remaining here until I summon you."
He ordered, and with that he turned on the heel of his boot and stalked towards the door, taking long strides on his lean powerful legs.

"Obey you? I thought you wanted us to be equals? Haven't we become something more than just master and servant?"
Belle pointed out sadly.

She was deeply confused. He really was the most complicated individual she had ever met, but still she clung to the belief that she possessed the strength and breadth of character to handle his glorious complexity.

Loki hesitated at the door and allowed himself to steal a look at her.
By the Norns she was truly beautiful.
Beautiful, brave and gentle, and kind hearted.
And he wasn't deserving of any such loyalty and affection.
But the darker side of him selfishly wanted to keep her forever, and to hell with the consequences.

She was looking at him all softly and sadly, which stirred up all sorts of emotions that tried to poke and prod at the place in his heart where he never allowed anything to go.
Until recently that was, and he was still alarmed at how sudden and rapid these feelings had come on.

He'd never stood a chance.

"You have always been more than just a mere servant, or subject. You are my companion Belle, my little witch, and I care for you deeply. Which is why I am loathed to part with you. I cannot allow the bond we share to be broken."

"And it never will be."
She assured him.

"Well then, please, I beg of you for once to do my bidding without further objection. I must speak with your father alone."

A deafening silence descended on the room as Belle stood contemplating his request, until after a lengthy pause she finally nodded her agreement. Albeit begrudgingly.

Loki felt some of his anxieties immediately lift from him, and let out a huge sigh of relief. Perhaps there was still hope to rectify this. With his cunning, he was confident he could salvage the situation.

"Thank you. Rest assured, I shall send word for you to join us once I have had the opportunity to smooth over any misunderstandings. Now, I must go."

With that he hurriedly resumed the appearance of the Allfather, and slipped from the room, leaving an anxious Belle behind.

********************

Nothing killed a moment of passion quite like being interrupted...and being interrupted by the arrival of his prospective lovers' father and threat to his realm, had doused Loki's fevered ardour more effectively than if someone had thrown a bucket of ice cold water over his all too-eager body.

As he made his way along the echoing gilded hallways to the throne room, he pondered over whether or not the King of Avonlea's arrival had been a blessing or a curse.
Unarguably his presence in Asgard was most definitely unwelcome, but he had unwittingly prevented his daughter from possibly making a monumental mistake.
A few moments later, and she would have been relieved of her chastity....her virginity salaciously claimed by the wicked Loki.

He rubbed at his forehead, driven to distraction by an insane buzzing sensation in his head which was making it exceedingly difficult to think clearly.
He wasn't thinking clearly and hadn't been for some time.

He'd allowed his heart to overrule his head, and in turn, his loins.
Even now, despite being silently thankful for the untimely interruption, his fingers still twitched at the memory of last night, of how Belle's curvaceous hips and perfectly formed rear had felt through that irksome material of her dress.

Oh how he longed to get as close as possible.

For the longest time now, being unable to breach that physical barrier had tormented his every waking hour and even his subconscious thoughts, invading his sleep. Resulting in tantalising dreams which he awoke from with a racing heart, a film of sweat covering his body as he lay tangled in twisted sheets.

Perhaps he had completely lost his wits.
Matters of state were no longer a priority, and even the allure of power had grown less enticing in comparison to Belle's company.
He wanted to be with her always, and the need to just be able to reach out and touch her....to really feel her, was what he now strived for above all else.

Having held her closely in his arms had been a startlingly emotional experience. And the stolen kisses...feeling the softness of her silky outer thigh beneath his fingertips...had practically pushed him to the limit of his restraints.

She would have him believe that she loved him.
And she was willing to prove this by surrendering herself to him, even somehow managing to successfully convince him that she was ready and eager to engage with him in a sexual capacity.
He had abandoned all self-doubt, and was prepared to take full advantage of her willingness.

Although now, he reasoned with himself that coupling with her in such a way would not have sufficed. Fumbling beneath layers of heavy clothing would not do.
No, he wanted to strip away every last scrap of material and allow himself to indulge in the sinful delight of feeling her naked form writhing beneath his own.
To worship her exquisite body, slowly, intimately.
It would be more, so much more, than just simple sex....

He wanted to make love to her.
And yes, there was a significant difference.

Due to dwelling too long on the subject, he felt his arousal returning and so hastily attempted to shake off his lust. Forcing aside such inappropriate thoughts, and banishing them to the back of his mind.
That was quite enough of that.
Now was not the time or place to mull over such things.
Not when he was about to meet with her father.

He reached his destination, and swept into the throne room grandly, dismissing all guards in order to conduct his meeting in private.

"So, you are the king of Avonlea I presume?"
He stated using the intimidating voice of a disgruntled Odin.
"What may I ask, brings you to the realm eternal? As a rule there is generally no place for your kind here. We Asgardians are most selective about whom we choose to associate with."

The stocky, middle aged man with greying brown hair eyed Loki with a measured amount of disdain, whilst visibly shifting slightly, displaying an unmistakable nervousness.

"Yes, I am King Maurice of Avonlea."
He replied somewhat apprehensively, his beady eyes darting to and fro across Loki's face - the face of Odin - as if attempting to read his thoughts.
"And I see you forgo any pleasantries in your dealings with those who you believe to be beneath you....King Odin."

Intimidatingly, Loki began walking slowly around him in wide circles, eyes boring into his head.
"That is because we are a higher race of beings. You are as we speak, in the presence of a God, so therefore I would urge you to state your business swiftly and be gone. I have much more important matters to attend to than some lost princess of a far away land, whom you have wrongly assumed to be in residence here."

"I have it on good authority that she is here. Irrefutable proof that you are holding her here as your prisoner."

"Is that so?"
Loki fired back coolly.

"Yes...and that you, are in fact not who you claim to be at all."
King Maurice added bravely, to Loki's immense surprise.

So, the man wasn't as spineless as he looked.

"Those are bold accusations you make, King Maurice of Avonlea. And if I were to indulge you, for instance let us pretend for arguments sake that you are correct to some extent....tell me, what precisely do you intend to do about it?"

He came to a halt behind the Avonlea King, who turned around hurriedly, clearly fearing having his back towards the trickster God. And with good reason.
Loki would freely admit that in that moment the urge to run him through with his spear, was dangerously tempting.
That would solve so many problems, yet regrettably create more.

Besides, this was Belle's father and he knew she'd never forgive him if any harm came to the King by his hands.

King Maurice looked visibly shocked, as if completely blindsided by Loki's indirect admittance of guilt, and he fumbled to find the words to respond.
"I...I intend to strike up a bargain with you. War can be avoided, and your sordid secret does not have to become public knowledge...if you return Belle to me."

Loki smiled, and even as the Allfather, his impish trademark grin would've been identifiable to those who would recognise it.

"Your presumptuousness betrays your naivety. Giving further validation to my belief that you mortals are the fools I've always taken you for. The Aesir will not believe your claims. You are nothing here, so you cannot threaten to expose me. Spread as much malicious gossip, or fabricate as many false and absurd rumours as you like....it will be ignored."

"The testimony of a fellow Asgardian will not be ignored!"
Maurice exclaimed, his neck turning a dusky shade of pink due to rising anger.
"Yes, your man Hoenir....he is willing to testify to your elder chieftains that you have my daughter here, and that he's seen with his own two eyes that you are the wicked Loki."

Much to his annoyance, the Kings words had the desired effect on Loki, as he drew back in horror. Completely stunned.

Hoenir?
Odin's most loyal and trusted emissary and right-hand man had betrayed him? And for what?
The reward offered for information leading to Belle's whereabouts?
That traitorous fool.
No wonder he had not yet returned from Avonlea. Instead of seeking out the source of the prophecies Belle had read of, he had in fact gone back there to double-cross him.

Furious now, Loki momentarily lost all composure. His cool demeanour crumbling like a pillar of salt.
"It is not possible."
He hissed.
"He cannot have seen any such thing."

"In the presence of myself and Sir Gaston, Hoenir witnessed you in your true form. I have enlisted the aid of a sorceress who was able to evoke a vision of you, as yourself....in the company of my daughter. And as a faithful servant to the real king Odin, he will do whatever is necessary to reinstate the Allfather. So unless you return Belle to me, you will be brought to justice."

Loki listened with growing agitation, his jaw set so hard he felt his face might actually crack.
"You may have bought Hoenir's testimony....but when this is settled you shall return him to me, do you understand? So that I can take great pleasure in removing his head from his treacherous body, and have it mounted on a spike."

Maurice blanched slightly, then nodded slowly.
"That can be arranged. Depending on your willingness to comply with my request. I want my daughter back."

"Your daughter is not my prisoner. She had valid reasons for wanting to leave, and you can ask her for yourself. I did not take her against her will. She merely had no desire to be married off to some dim-witted oaf whom she does not care for."

"Belle understands her responsibility to her subjects. Sir Gaston is Lord LeGume's eldest son, and it is necessary for her to marry him in order to keep our kingdom safe."
Maurice explained, shrinking back slightly as Loki advanced towards him menacingly.

"Safe from what? What part does this LeGume play in the safety of your precious kingdom?"

"Lord LeGume can provide troops to fight alongside my own in the Ogre battles. We must protect Avonlea from the threat of war, as you must protect Asgard....and yourself."

Loki felt an all too familiar stab of resentment and frustration, as the Kings words circled around his head.
He knew personally how it felt to be used.
Odin had once had similar intentions for him, to use him as a means to an end, to bring about an alliance between Asgard and Jotunheim.

"So, Belle becomes nothing more than a bargaining tool? Just a useful pawn in a twisted game of politics? No. I think not."
He ground the words out angrily through clenched teeth.
"Treaties be damned. She will never marry that man. I will ensure that it does not happen, he shall never see the light of day again. Trust me."

"Trust you?"
Maurice scoffed, though he instantly regretted it as Loki's hand darted forwards and clenched him tightly around the throat.

"Trust my rage."
He spat, his eyes like two glowing coals.

"It...it is of no importance now anyway."
The King gasped, turning a startling shade of puce which prompted Loki into relinquishing his grip.
"The LeGume's would not want their son entering into a marital contract with a disgraced princess. You have ruined her, I doubt there will be anyone in the whole of Avonlea who'd be willing to have her now that...."
He faltered, reluctant to speak the words out loud. As if they were too shameful to utter.

Loki let out a bone-chilling laugh. Despite having absolutely nothing to laugh about.
On the contrary he rather felt like crying, even though he wasn't in the habit of being a slave to such emotions.
But he'd slipped on his armour now, his mask of arrogant indifference.
He was so accustomed to hiding behind it as a defence, it was like wearing a second skin for him.

"How ironic that your daughter is no longer of any use to you, due to having associated with the likes of me. I'm rather loathed to admit that I have not had my wicked way with her now, in fact I rather wish I had. Then at least her ruined reputation would be well deserved."

Loki saw Maurice's hands ball into fists, and he smiled with a sickening level of self satisfaction.
Perhaps it was in his nature after all. It felt undeniably good goading this odious little man.
And as twisted as it seemed, the thought of Belle having to live a celibate life elsewhere, lessened the hurt ever so slightly.
The pain of her leaving and having to marry another, would be even more unbearable.

"You are a beast of a man."
Maurice said gruffly.
"You deserve to be put on trial and sentenced to death for the crimes you have committed."

"How dare you. Who are you to sit in judgement of me?"
Loki growled fiercely.

"Not I, but the council of elders. Your brother, the mighty Thor. And Odin once he has taken his rightful place as King. You will be put on trial for usurping the throne, and whatever other ghastly deeds you are responsible for whilst ruling over Asgard."

Loki's head was pounding now, and he was desperately trying to steady his breathing and calm his mind.

He had narrowly escaped the gallows, the executioners blade, before.
This time he knew he wouldn't be so fortunate, especially without his mother to intervene and beg for mercy on his behalf.
The dreaded prophecy would come to fruition.
He would meet his untimely end.

And yet death would be kinder than lifelong imprisonment.
He could not go back there.
The heavy silence of the prisons was stifling, and at night he had regularly been plagued with panic attacks as he felt the walls closing in on him.

Thoughts of the outside world only brought torment and misery.
All the simple things that he previously took for granted, he had longed for. Such as the smell of jasmine in the summer night air, the sweet melody of the nightingale singing in the woods, the pale beauty of the moon in the midnight blue sky streaked with grey.
But he was trapped....trapped and suffocating.

His heart beat heavily within his chest now at the memory. He would much rather die with dignity, and escape the humiliation and torture of being contained like a fish in a bowl.

But the prophecy could still be reversed.
He didn't have to choose this path.
The path that lead to certain death.
King Maurice was offering him a life-line.
All he had to do was give up Belle and he would live.

But life without Belle....could he endure that? Or would that be a fate worse than death?

"You cannot ask this of me!"
He supplied with a snarl.

Maurice looked at him now almost pityingly, which only served to anger Loki further.

"Do you really believe that she would want to remain here with you? Once she learns of what you have done, to Gaston, to King Odin.... she will be appalled, and will want nothing more to do with you....you beast! It is better that you hand her over willingly, and then she need never know the full extent of your crimes."

*************************

 
Belle was anxiously pacing the floor of Loki's chambers, awaiting to be summoned to the throne room.

What was taking so long?
Surely there couldn't be that much to discuss?
Her nerves were frayed and her bottom lip sore from biting on it nervously.

Just when she was about to sit down, mindful of wearing out her shoes from her continuous pacing back and forth, the door to the chambers opened.

She stopped dead in her tracks, as she suddenly found herself face to face with her father.

"Papa!"
She exclaimed, and rushed forwards to greet him.

Maurice threw his arms around his daughter, and pulled her into a loving embrace.
"Oh Belle! Thank god you are safe."

"I am perfectly safe papa..."
She closed her eyes and hugged him tightly.
"...but I have missed you."

"You need never miss me again. I am here to take you home, where you belong."

Belle immediately stiffened, her eyes snapping open.
She saw Loki over her father's shoulder, and was struck by his solemn expression.

"Papa, I'm....I'm not going back."
She told him sadly but firmly, pulling back in order to look up at him. His face was stern but she stood her ground.
"I made a promise, and-"

"None of that matters now. Your place is at home, with me."
Maurice stated flatly.
"I searched all over for you, even enlisting the help of an enchantress in order to find you. And when I discovered the wicked Loki was holding you captive-"

"He wasn't holding me captive."
She broke away from her father, and gestured towards Loki, who remained eerily silent.
"I chose to come here....and I'm choosing to be with him."

She saw her father's aged brow forge into a deep scowl, and he stared at her in disbelief.
"Are you saying you've fallen in love with him?"
The words hung in the air between them like a fog.

She chanced a small smile, dipping her head in an attempt to hide her blushes.
"Yes, and I feared you wouldn't understand, that you'd want it to be over-"

"It must be."
Maurice cut her off ominously, rendering her silent.
"Promise me that you will try and forget him? That you will return to Avonlea with me and never see him again?"

He moved towards her, and attempted to place his hands on her arms but she instinctively brushed him off, skirting backwards out of his reach.

"Father, I'm no longer a child!"

"You don't understand what this man will do to you. What he's already done."

"No, you don't understand."
Belle raised her voice assertively.
"It's my life!"

Loki stood looking on in pained anguish, watching his beloved Belle bravely confront her father.....for him.
What was he to do?
Was he capable of going through with this?

With classic timing, the King gave Loki a slow deliberate look.
Not a word was spoken between them, but he understood.
The time had come.
He had to uphold his end of the bargain, in order to save himself.

He cleared his throat hastily, not trusting his voice to not waver.
"Belle, perhaps you ought to listen to your father. He clearly cares for your well being."
He said shakily, mustering as much conviction as he could.
But even as he spoke the words, he himself could hear how empty and false they sounded.
"Your people need you. And I will only bring you heartache."

"In time, you will no longer love him."
Maurice interjected for good measure, and Loki had to fight the temptation to smack him across the mouth.

"N-no!"
She cried, her eyes growing wild and tearful.
"You don't get to decide how I feel or what I do....I do."

"Then you leave me no choice. I'm sorry."
Maurice said darkly, and Loki felt the panic frothing in his throat.

Her father was about to expose his darkest secrets, reaffirming that he was in fact a monster, and he couldn't permit that to happen.
Rather she hate him for turning his back on their love, than look upon him with utter disgust and contempt.

"Enough!"
He roared, his sudden outburst startling them both, his beautiful green eyes shining with fury.
"Belle, I command you to leave. Do not make this any harder than it already is."

His words pierced her heart like a well-aimed arrow.
She felt like a lead weight had been placed on her chest, slowly crushing her to death.
"Why? Why are you doing this?"
She demanded.
"Why are you sending me away? What are you not telling me?"

"Please...this must be where it ends. It is the only way."
He could sense her moving away from him emotionally now as well as physically, and what he felt bordered on physically painful.

"The only way? I don't believe you. What if for once you were to choose love over greatness?"
Belle said sadly, fighting to suppress a sob.
"But you can't can you? I'm not a fool Loki, you're just too much of a coward to be honest with me."

Unable to refrain, he took a half-step towards her, his hands outstretched, but she turned away from him, and talking to her back was no easier than saying these words to her face.
"Belle....please...you don't understand-"

"You're right, I don't understand. I don't understand why you won't fight for us. Clearly you don't feel for me at all."

"That's not true!"
His tall frame sagged slightly, his shoulders slumping forwards.
"It is the prophecy....Belle, my life hangs in the balance. If you remain here, it is sealing my fate."

Her stomach lurched violently, making her feel quite nauseated, and an icy chill crept along her spine.
"The prophecy? Then, why didn't you tell me this before?"
She turned to look at him over her shoulder, her one visible eye narrowed.
In an instant she had gone from being angry and indignant, to heartbreakingly sad.
"So, what you are saying is that I must leave, in order for you to live?"

He saw her bottom lip trembling, and he stared at her hopelessly. He nodded almost imperceptibly, his face contorted by failed words.
This was the truth, but a twisted version of it. In fact it was so twisted and distorted, it barely resembled the truth anymore.

"Please Loki, explain to me why my being here will cause your undoing? Help me to understand."
She asked. She begged.

He wanted to retract what he had said, to tell her how much she meant to him, and to tell Maurice to to go to Hell, and the prophecy be damned.
But he couldn't.
Belle had been right all along, he was a coward.
The words he longed to speak remained elusive, kept out of reach by his lack of courage, and his logical mind which insisted on overriding his heart.

He was silent for a heartbeat too long, and Belle sighed deeply. Her eyes cast downwards in despair.
"I see. Even now you still can't be honest with me or speak plainly."

Slowly she turned to her father.
"I will return home with you papa, if it means that Loki's life will be spared. But you are no better than he is. I make my own choices in this world. No one decides my fate for me."

She was feeling heavy, and strange and hollow inside. The blood chugging through her veins, forcing little ripples of blood out to her throbbing temples.
Her knees wobbled slightly, and for a horrifying moment she feared they may actually buckle on her.

This was like a bad dream.
An awful nightmare, and she kept silently praying that she would wake up at any moment.

Maurice looked at her gravely, and offered her his arm for support.
She linked her own arm through his, and squeezed her eyes tightly shut but the tears pushed out past her lashes, and she hurriedly wiped them away with her hand.

Loki felt the panic squeeze his chest, and hastily reached out, catching her by the hand.
"Belle I....."
He stared at her, his voice breaking with emotion as the words caught in his throat, and in that moment she saw a haunting shade of innocence, a vulnerability she'd never dared hope she might witness in him.

But it was too late.
They could never be.
She had to give up on her love for him, if it meant she could be his saviour.
He was so precious to her. She wasn't able to put into words, the love she felt for the wretched trickster God.

"I love you."
She choked out, before dissolving into tears.
"Goodbye Loki."

She squeezed his hand gently, before Maurice steered her away, escorting her out through the door, forcing Loki to let go.

He watched them leave, and he wasn't prepared for what happened next.
Tears pricked at his eyes as he felt a hard rush of emotion like he'd never felt before. It was unstoppable, and suddenly he felt as if his heart was being torn from his chest, silent tears streaking a path down his face.

What had he done?
He'd saved himself, but at what cost?

He should never have allowed her into his heart, and he cursed himself for his weakness. For his stupidity, for allowing himself to open up to her. To drop his guard and grant her entry into his emotions. To feel for her.

He would've been far better served by anger and resentment.
Love was folly. He should've known better.

He fell to his knees, letting out a strangled cry of bitter frustration and despair, and in his rage was temporarily overcome by madness, as he began beating his fists against the stone floor until they bled.

The pain was excruciating, yet still it paled in comparison to the pain he felt inside.